Tag Archives: Health

At the veterinarian

ZORRO : We are beautiful and healthy. It’s not us who says that, it’s the veterinarian.

On Tuesday morning, we went to the veterinarian for our annual visit : as you can see, we were delighted.
in the PTU
Mr Burnand checked us from every angle (yes, he looked there also !) ; we are grateful to him, because he did not consider to play with his thermometer … He dewormed us, and weighed us : I weigh 5,4 kg (11,9 lb) and Pixie 3,4 kg (7,5 lb). We have magnificent eyes, quite clean ears, dense and silky hair, no fleas, in brief, we are beautiful and healthy.
Zorro363
He found that I had lost 100 grams since the last visit, what is very well, and that’s where Claire dropped her small bomb :
– They eat raw since 3 months…
– And what do you give them ? simply asked the veterinarian.
Claire explained the fleshy bones, the giblets, etc, etc….
– Ah, that’s all good ! said the veterinarian. It’s important to give also bones and cartilages, they need it. They should not eat only steak !
Claire was over the moon : she had heard a lot about veterinarians who were fiercely against Raw Feeding. She enjoyed that ours is also favorable to this feeding mode, as far as it is done correctly and in a well-balanced way.
The only concern of the veterinarian was that we could have too much vitamin A, what would be bad for our joints. According to him, it is not necessary that we eat liver every day.
It’s a feeding mode that is respectful of the needs of your cats, he added, and close to what your cats could eat in nature, but it’s a little longer to prepare than a can…
Claire answered that that take her only half an hour a week to prepare our portions for 7-8 days.
preparation raw food
– You are someone organized ! said Mr Burnand.
We didn’t dare to tell him that Claire had to have an additional gene for that, because we were afraid that he keeps her to run some tests !
Pixie400

3 tips to help your cat spend a good summer

☀️ After shy early days, summer is finally there, and the heat of the day also. ☀️ Follow our 3 tips to take advantage of it in complete safety.

3 tips to help your cat spend a good summer

Drink

cool waterProvide your cat some cool water throughout the day. The ideal is a water fountain, but several bowls of water at various places in the house (and in the garden) suit perfectly. The water should be renewed several times during the day. You can add an ice cube in the bowl (only one !) to keep the water cool longer.

Stay cool

For your own comfort and that of your cat, maintain the inside of your house as fresh as possible : lower the blinds or close the shutters, equip yourselves with a ventilator if necessary, or switch on the air conditioning if you are lucky enough to have of one (not too cold!). Be sure that your cat has easily access to a cool place during day. You can also pet your cat with a wet dish mop, and let him play with water as in the video below :

Observe

Your cat sticks out his tongue ? He’s panting ? He is apathetic having spent a long moment in the sun ? He’s maybe a victim of a heat stroke : we explain you here the first gestures to have. Don’t hesitate to consult your veterinarian !

Pixie in the shadow

Sun and cats, friends or enemies ?

Several of our friends (or their human) were these days in Phoenix, Arizona, for the 8th BlogPaws 2016 Conference. A brilliant sun and an overwhelming heat were also there, and we wondered :

Sun and cats, friends or enemies ?

The answer to this question is : a little both. We’re going to explain it to you :

Friends, because…

  • The heat of the sun allows us to compensate for the light temperature reduction of our body while we have a nap.
  • It also allows sick cats to save up their forces to fight better against the disease.
  • Sun rays (ultraviolet rays) allow us to synthesize the vitamin D, essential to facilitate the absorption of calcium and phosphor and fix them to our bones. If we are lacking vitamin D and sun, we can be suffering from rickets.

Is the sun my friend ?
Enemies, because…

  • The heat of the sun can cause a dehydration and a heatstroke.
  • Sun rays can cause a sunburn, especially to cats with a fair skin or naked cats.
  • A sunburn can cause a dermatitis : the edge of the auricle (most of the time) loses its hairs, is irritated, and covered with crusts. An ulcer can form and gradually waste the ear away. Eyelids or truffle can also be suffering.
  • An excessive sun exposure as well as repeated sunburns can cause a skin cancer, especially to cats with a fair skin, naked cats, or old cats. Our friend Harvey made the experience : he underwent the partial ablation of the auricle of his two ears because of a cancer. He very well recovered from it as you can see here.

Is the sun my enemy ?
“It is in the dose that is the poison” said Paracelse in the XVIth century, and it also applies to the sun. Have rather your naps in the shade !

Our human can be attentive to the time we spend in the sun, especially at the most intense hours, so that our sunbathing don’t put our health in danger. There is also a sunscreen for cat : no, no, we’re not kidding ! If you live in a region known for its intense exposure to the sun and if you care about your ears, think of it…